Two Chicago-area business people and their companies have been charged in federal court with mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud for allegedly using the Twin Buttes School District to bilk the government out of more than $100,000 through a federal program that provides funding to economically disadvantaged schools for technology and communications equipment.

Tyrone Pipkin, 52, and Gloria Harper, 56, entered not guilty pleas to the charges Thursday morning at the federal courthouse in Bismarck. U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles S. Miller also entered not guilty pleas to the charges for Global Networking Technology Inc., and Computer Training and Associates.

Global Networking Technology Inc., was a business owned by Pipkin and in which Harper was a part owner. Computer Training and Associates is a business owned by Harper.

A federal grand jury in October indicted Pipkin, Harper and the companies in October for the offenses. They made their first appearances in the case Thursday morning.

Pipkin, Harper and the companies are accused of getting the Twin Buttes School District to enter into a contract that would allow the companies to provide services to the school through the federal E-Rate program.

The E-Rate program is a federal program started in 1998 that provides funding to economically disadvantaged schools for technology and communications equipment.

According to the indictment, Pipkin and Harper allegedly were paid for services and products that were never delivered and for products that were delivered but were paid for at a "grossly inflated value."

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@bismarcktribune.com.)